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Windows 7: Install 7 on partition w/Vista and after...

Probably the n thousanth time you've seen these type of posts... sorry.

I'm starting the conversion of my HP laptop over from Vista (x64) by first partitioning the disk and installing 7 on a new partition - so I can make sure that all is well before I stop using Vista... I just want to make sure I've got it right.

I checked the various tutorials on installing 7 dual boot with Vista, the installation seems pretty straightforward. The system is backed up on an external drive, the partiton is done and I've got my DVD with an iso image of 7 (via Msdnaa). The drivers are one question: From what I understand, I let 7 install on the new partition and then... as soon as it is able to access the internet, it will find me all the drivers I need for the machine...? ( I may need to find a few manually, I guess). I'm not quite sure of the procedure for this.

Assuming I get a good installation, I install my programs and the like, transfer over my files, etc. - then, supposing I want to remove Vista...

I can't find the tutorial here (forgot to bookmark it), but it looked like I could go into msconfig and remove Vista as a boot OS... (can someone point me to that explanation?)

(OK, I re-found it, it's "How to Delete a Listed Operating System at Boot in Windows 7")

Does that automatically transfer the boot files over to the 7 partition? After that I can remove the Vista partition and expand the 7 partition...

The last thing I wanted to know is once it's all done, how do I switch the drive letters back so that the partition 7 is on is C again...?

No it is not that easy to back out of a dual boot with Vista. Especially if you want to delete the first partition Vista and move 7 over onto it. Each one is a puzzle.

The best spin to put on it is to just consider your install of 7 now to a second partition from the Vista as your practice install, as when you are ready to give up the dual boot you will either need to perform major surgery (which we can help you with here) or since you will need to back up your files anyway, just wipe the whole HDD and reinstall 7 clean.

As for your driver concerns, the Win7 installer is amazing with drivers, and Updates will provide any the installer misses. However, with the dual boot you can easily browse to Vista's windows/system32/drivers with the Device Manager and pluck any Vista drivers to use in Win7.

Ouch. I do not want to be wiping my disc and re-installing 7 a second time, so I guess it will be major surgery later... Thanks for the info on drivers, I'll be going through this in the next day or so, as soon as I have time. --ch

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